Noise insulation arrangement for shift lever

ABSTRACT

A noise insulation arrangement reduces transmission of noise through an opening of a partition having a margin with a perimeter defining the opening. A shift lever assembly extends through the opening. This arrangement uses a noise insulator including a first noise barrier portion disposed in the opening adjacent to the perimeter of the partition and a first resilient portion extending between the first noise barrier and the shift lever assembly. A insulator cover is connected between the shift lever of the shift lever assembly and the margin of the partition. The cover includes a second noise barrier portion disposed adjacent to the perimeter and a second flexible portion. The second resilient portion is in the form of a bellows extending over the first resilient portion of the noise insulator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Filed of the Invention

The present invention relates to a noise insulation arrangement forreducing transmission of noise through an opening through which atransmission gear shift lever extends into a vehicle occupantcompartment.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Automobiles have a transmission separated from a vehicle occupantcompartment by a partition or floor panel. The transmission includes agear shift lever assembly extending through an opening of the partitioninto the vehicle occupant compartment. In order to reduce noisetransmission through the opening of the partition, there have beenproposed various noise insulation arrangements of which two examples aredescribed in connection with JP-B 48-30784 (U) and JP-B 5-27293 (U).

JP-B 48-30784 (U) discloses a noise insulation arrangement in which agenerally conic cover is connected between a shift lever and a partitionhaving a margin with a perimeter defining an opening through which theshift lever extends. The cover includes an inner cover portion extendingfrom the margin toward a shift lever retainer of a transmission to fitin a peripheral notch with which the shift lever retainer is formed. Thecover includes an outer conic or bellows-like cover portion extendingover the inner cover. It has been also proposed to fill a chamber orspace defined by the inner and outer cover portions with foamedsynthetic resin. According to this known arrangement, the inner coverportion serves as a dust boot, thus unnecessiating the use of a separatedust boot.

JP-B 5-27293 (U) discloses a noise insulation arrangement that uses asingle piece dust boot serving as a noise insulator. The boot includes afirst boot portion connected between a shift lever ball retainer and apartition or body floor to cover an opening in which the retainer isdisposed. From the shift lever ball retainer, a shift lever extends intoa vehicle occupant compartment. The first boot portion is fixedlyconnected to the outer periphery of the shift lever ball retainer at itsinner inner periphery. The first boot portion has a corrugated sectionand a first flat section. The first flat section lies on the corrugatedsection and extends beyond the outer periphery of the corrugated sectionto define a fixing lip placed on the partition at a margin with aperimeter defining the opening. The corrugated section extends betweenthe perimeter defining the opening and the outer periphery of the shiftlever ball retainer. At a location adjacent the periphery of shift leverball retainer, the corrugated section is connected to a second bootportion. The second boot portion has a second flat section lying on thefirst flat section and a conic bellows-like section connected betweenthe second flat section and the shift lever. The second flat section isnot fixed to the first flat section but slidable to reduce resistanceobjectionable to smooth movement of the shift lever.

An object of the present invention is to provide a noise insulationarrangement in which such known single piece dust cover is not used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a noise insulationarrangement comprising a partition cover, a shift lever assembly, anoise insulator, and an insulator cover. The partition cover has amargin with a perimeter defining an opening. The shift lever assemblyextends through the opening and including a shift lever movable withinthe opening relative to the perimeter. The noise insulator is connectedbetween the shift lever and the margin of the partition to close theopening. The noise insulator includes a first noise barrier portiondisposed in the opening adjacent to the perimeter and extends along theperimeter through the whole length thereof and a first resilient portionextending between the first noise barrier portion and the shift lever.The insulator cover is connected between the shift lever and the marginof the partition cover. The insulator cover includes a second noisebarrier portion disposed in the opening adjacent to the perimeter andextends along the perimeter through the whole length thereof and asecond resilient portion extending between the second noise barrierportion and the shift lever over the first resilient portion of thenoise insulator.

According to one aspect of the invention, the first noise barrierportion is thicker than the first resilient portion. According toanother aspect of the invention, the second noise barrier portion isthicker than the second resilient portion. The second noise barrierportion covers the first noise barrier portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view partly sectioned to illustrate a firstembodiment of a noise insulation arrangement according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of component parts used in the noiseinsulation arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 1 illustrating a second embodiment ofnoise insulation arrangement according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of FIG. 1 illustratingmodification on the first embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the accompanying drawings like or similar parts are designated by thesame or like reference numerals throughout the Figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a portion of an automobilehaving a manual transmission. The manual transmission is operable toshift to any one of discrete gears by a shift lever 2 of a shift leverassembly 102. The shift lever assembly 102 includes a ball retainer 15rotatably receiving a relatively large ball 13 of the shift lever 2 forallowing movement of the shift lever 2 in response to manipulation of aknob 12 by a vehicle operator. The shift lever assembly 102 alsoincludes a dust boot 16 having a lower end portion, as viewed from FIG.1, fitting in a peripheral groove of the ball retainer 15. The dust boot16 has an upper end portion, as viewed from FIG. 1, fixedly connected tothe adjacent portion of the shift lever 2. In this manner, the dust boot16 extends between the ball retainer 15 and the shift lever 2 to prevententry of dust into the ball retainer 15 and to reduce transmission ofnoise through the ball retainer 15. The dust boot 16 is curved at aportion intermediate the upper and lower end portions to form aperipheral recess 16a.

The shift lever assembly extends into a vehicle occupant compartment 100separated from the manual transmission by a partition 200 including apartition cover 9 as shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown, the cover 9fits into an opening of the adjacent component part of the partition200. As best seen in FIG. 2, the partition cover 9 is part-cylindricaland has a margin 9a with a perimeter 9b defining a rectangular opening10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shift lever assembly 102 extends through theopening 10 and includes a shift lever 2 movable within the opening 10relative to the perimeter 9b. A noise insulator 6 is connected betweenthe shift lever assembly including the dust boot 16 and the margin 9a ofthe partition cover 9 to close the opening 10. The noise insulator 6includes a first noise barrier portion 8 and a flexible resilientportion 7. The noise barrier portion 8 is disposed in the opening 10adjacent to the perimeter 9b and extends along the perimeter through thewhole length thereof. The resilient portion 7 extends between the noisebarrier portion 8 and the shift lever assembly. The noise insulator 6includes a fixing lip portion 7a connected to and surrounding the noisebarrier portion 8. The fixing lip portion 7a is placed on the margin 9a.The noise insulator 6 fits into the peripheral recess of the dust boot16 at an inner perimeter thereof. The resilient portion 7 has a flatsection 7b adjacent to the noise barrier portion 8 and a curved section7c between the boot 16 of the shift lever assembly and the flat section7b. The noise barrier portion 8 is increased in thickness as compared tothe resilient portion 7 for increased effectiveness in insulating noise.The noise insulator 6 is made of soft rubber with oil resistant, such aschloroprene rubber (CR) or nitrile rubber (NBR).

An insultor cover 3 is connected between the shift lever 2 and themargin 9a of the partition cover 9. The insulator cover 3 includes asecond noise barrier portion 5 disposed adjacent to the perimeter 9b andextends along the perimeter 9b through the whole length thereof and asecond resilient portion 4 extending between the noise barrier portion 5thereof and the shift lever 2 over the resilient portion 7 of the noiseinsulator 6. The noise barrier portion 5 is placed on the noise barrierportion 8 of the noise insulator 6. The noise barrier portion S of thecover 3 is increased in thickness as compared to the flexible portion 4.The flexible portion 4 of the cover 3 extends over the flat section 7band curved section 7c of the resilient portion 7 of the noise insulator6. The cover 3 includes a fixing lip portion 4a connected to andsurrounding the noise barrier portion 5. The fixing lip portion 4a isplaced on the fixing lip portion 7a placed on the margin 9a of thepartition 9. The fixing lip portions 4a and 7a are fixedly securedbetween the margin 9a of the partition cover 9 and a bracket 11 by meansof a plurality of fasters, not shown. The resilient portion 4 of thecover 3 is in the form of a bellows and fixedly attached to the shiftlever 2 at an upper end thereof, viewing in FIG. 1. The cover 3 is madeof a soft rubber or resin, such as chloroprene rubber (CR) or naturalrubber (NR) or ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM) or polyvinyl chloride(PVC).

From the preceding description, it will be appreciated that the noisebarrier portion 8 of the noise insulator 6 has an outer peripheryconforming to the shape of the perimeter 9b defining the opening 10,serving as a guide in mounting the noise insulator 6 to the partitioncover 9, thus making the assembly work easy.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 17 denotes a trim panel and thereference numeral 18 denotes a body boot fixedly connected to the trimpanel 17. The body boot 18 is attached to the shift lever 12 to concealthe insulator cover 3 and the partition cover 9.

According to the first embodiment of noise insulation arrangement, thenoise barrier portion 8 of the noise insulator 6 disposed in the opening10 adjacent to the perimeter 9b results in reduction in effective areathrough which noise is transmitted. This is effective in restrictingpropagation of noise to the vehicle occupant compartment 100. Besides,the noise barrier portions 8 and 5 effectively interrupt propagation ofnoise to the vehicle occupant compartment 100. Smooth movement of theshift lever 2 is not hampered by the noise barrier portions 8 and 5because of the provision of the flexible portions 7 and 4 of the noiseinsulator 6 and cover 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second embodiment of noise insulationarrangement is explained. This embodiment is generally the same as thefirst embodiment except the area of an opening 10 of a partition 9 anddesign of a noise insulator 6. In the second embodiment, the area of theopening 10 is narrower than the area of the opening 10 shown in FIGS. 1and 2. The noise insulator 6 shown in FIG. 3 is different from the noiseinsulator 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the outer perimeter of anoise barrier portion 8 of the second embodiment is reduced in size ascompared to the outer perimeter of the noise barrier portion 8 of thefirst embodiment, and in that a first resilient portion 7 of the noiseinsulator 6 of the second embodiment does not include a flat section aswide as the flat section 7b of the first resilient portion 7 of thenoise insulator 6 of the first embodiment although it includes a curvedsection 7c.

In FIG. 3, the noise barrier portion 8 of the noise insulator 6 isdisposed in the opening 10 adjacent to a perimeter 9b defining theopening 10 and extends along the perimeter 9b through the whole lengththereof. The curved section 7c extends between a dust boot 16 of a shiftlever assembly and the noise barrier portion 8. The noise insulator 6includes a fixing lip portion 7a connected to and surrounding the noisebarrier portion 8. The fixing lip portion 7a is placed on a margin 9a ofthe partition 9.

An insulator cover 3 of the second embodiment is substantially the sameas the insulator cover 3 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 3, the insulator cover 3 includes a noise barrier portion 5 anda fixing lip portion 4a connected to and surrounding the noise barrierportion 8. As different from the first embodiment, not only the fixinglip portion 4a but also the noise barrier portion 5 are placed on thefixing lip portion 7a placed on the margin 9a. The fixing lip portions4a and 7a are fixedly interposed between the partition 9 and a retainer11 by means of fastners, not shown. Thus, the fixing lip portions 4a and7a are fixedly secured to the margin 9a of the partition cover 9. Asdifferent from the first embodiment, a second resilient portion 4 of theinsulator cover 3 extends over the curved section 7c and the noisebarrier portion 8 of the noise insulator 6. According to the secondembodiment, the area of the opening 10 is reduced further, resulting inmore effective prevention of propagation of noise into a vehicleoccupant compartment 100.

Referring to FIG. 4, a modification of the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 is explained. This modification is made to improve noiseinsulation performance. In FIG. 4, a plate or insert 20a made of metalis placed on the noise barrier portion 8 and fixing lip portion 7a ofthe noise insulator 6. The noise barrier portion 5 of the cover 3 isplaced over the noise barrier portion 8 and on the plate 20a, and thefixing lip portion 4a is placed over the fixing lip portion 7a and onthe plate 20a. Another plate or insert 20b of metal is placed on themargin 9a of the partition cover 9 and the fixing lip portion 7a isplaced on this another plate 20b. The fixing lip portion 4a, plate 20a,fixing lip portion 7a and plate 20b are fixedly interposed between themargin 9a and the retainer 11 by means of fastners. A third plate 20c ofmetal is fixedly placed on the flat section 7b of the flexible portionof the noise insulator 6. Preferrably, the plate 20a slightly overlapsthe plate 20c.

According to the modification shown in FIG. 4, noise insulatingperformance is improved.

What is claimed is:
 1. A noise insulation arrangement comprising:apartition cover having a margin with a perimeter defining an opening; ashift lever assembly extending through said opening and including ashift lever movable within said opening relative to said perimeter; anoise insulator connected between said shift lever and said margin ofsaid partition to close said opening, said noise insulator including afirst noise barrier portion disposed in said opening adjacent to saidperimeter and extending along said perimeter through the whole lengththereof and a first resilient portion extending between said first noisebarrier portion and said shift lever, said first noise barrier portionbeing thicker than said first resilient portion; and an insulator coverconnected between said shift lever and said margin of said partitioncover, said insulator cover including a second noise barrier portiondisposed in said opening adjacent to said perimeter and extending alongsaid perimeter through the whole length thereof and a second resilientportion extending between said second noise barrier portion and saidshift lever over said first resilient portion of said noise insulator,said second noise barrier portion being thicker than said secondresilient portion, wherein said second noise barrier portion covers saidfirst noise barrier portion.
 2. A noise insulation arrangement asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said second noise barrier portion is placedon top of said first noise barrier portion.
 3. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first resilient portionhas a flat section adjacent to said first noise barrier portion and acurved section between said shift lever and said flat section.
 4. Anoise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said secondresilient portion extends over said flat section and said curved sectionof said first resilient portion.
 5. A noise insulation arrangement asclaimed in claim 4, wherein said shift lever includes a ball and saidshift lever assembly includes a ball retainer receiving said ball and adust boot extending between said ball retainer and said shift lever. 6.A noise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said dustboot is curved to form a peripheral recess.
 7. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first resilient portionfits into said peripheral recess at an inner perimeter thereof.
 8. Anoise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said secondresilient portion extends over said dust boot.
 9. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second flexible portionis in the form of a bellows.
 10. A noise insulation arrangement asclaimed in claim 9, wherein said noise insulator is made of chloroprenerubber.
 11. A noise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 9,wherein said noise insulator is made of nitrile rubber.
 12. A noiseinsulation arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said insulatorcover is made of chloroprene rubber.
 13. A noise insulation arrangementas claimed in claim 9, wherein said insulator cover is made of naturalrubber.
 14. A noise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 9,wherein said insulator cover is made of ethylenepropylene rubber.
 15. Anoise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein saidinsulator cover is made of polyvinyl chloride.
 16. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said noise insulator includesa first fixing lip portion connected to said first noise barrier portionand surrounding said first noise barrier portion.
 17. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein said insulator coverincludes a second fixing lip portion connected to said second noisebarrier portion and surrounding said second noise barrier portion.
 18. Anoise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein said firstfixing lip portion is placed on the margin and said second fixing lipportion is placed on said first fixing lip portion and said first andsecond fixing lip portions are secured to the margin.
 19. A noiseinsulation arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first fixinglip portion is placed on the margin and said second fixing lip portionand said second noise barrier portion are placed on said first fixinglip portion and said first and second fixing lip portions are secured tothe margin.
 20. A noise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 17,further comprising a first plate placed on said first noise barrierportion and said first fixing lip portion, and a second plate placed onthe margin.
 21. A noise insulation arrangement as claimed in claim 20,wherein said first fixing lip portion is placed on said second plate andsaid second fixing lip portion is placed on a portion of said firstplate that is placed on said first fixing lip portion, and said firstand second fixing lip portions are secured to said margin.
 22. A noiseinsulation arrangement as claimed in claim 21, wherein said second noisebarrier portion is placed on a portion of said first plate that isplaced on said first noise barrier portion.
 23. A noise insulationarrangement as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a third plateplaced on a portion of said first resilient portion that is disposedadjacent to said first noise barrier portion.
 24. A noise insulationarrangement comprising:a partition cover having a margin with aperimeter defining an opening; a shift lever assembly extending throughthe opening and including a shift lever movable within the openingrelative to the perimeter; a noise insulator connected between the shiftlever and the margin of the partition to close the opening, the noiseinsulator including:a first noise barrier portion disposed in theopening adjacent to the perimeter and extending along the perimeterthrough the whole length thereof; and a first resilient portionextending between the first noise barrier portion and the shift lever;and an insulator cover connected between the shift lever and the marginof the partition cover, the insulator cover including:a second noisebarrier portion disposed in the opening adjacent to the perimeter andextending along the perimeter through the whole length thereof; and asecond resilient portion extending between the second noise barrierportion and the shift lever over the first resilient portion of thenoise insulator, wherein the second noise barrier portion is placed onthe first noise barrier portion, wherein the first resilient portion hasa flat section adjacent to the first noise barrier portion and a curvedsection between the shift lever and the flat section, wherein the secondresilient portion extends over the flat section and the curved sectionof the first resilient portion, wherein the shift lever includes a balland the shift lever assembly includes a ball retainer receiving the balland a dust boot extending between the ball retainer and the shift lever,the dust boot being curved to form a peripheral recess, and wherein thenoise insulator fits into the peripheral recess at an inner perimeterthereof.